Safety device for railroads.



Q. A. BROOKS.

SAFETY DEVICEFOR RAILROADS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1914.

Patentad Apr. 10, 19W.

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SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAiLROADS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1914.

Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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c. A. BROOKS. SAFETY DEVICE FOR '-RAILROADS. APPLICATLON HLED FEB- 10.I914- Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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C.A.BRO0KS. SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, I914.

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Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

CLAYTON A. BBIOISKS, 0F GIBARD, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1914. Serial No. 817,892.

scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthere on, forming part of this specification.

'My invention relates to safety apparatus and devices for railroads andhas for its object the cohstruction oil? mechanism adapted to beautomatically operated to cut ed the power and set the brakes of trainswhen the speed thereofv exceeds the predetermined maximum, or which maybe set to stop a train at a. desired station-stop.

in carrying out the objects of my invention I provide a'governormechanism, and trip mechanism which so cooperate as to open anair-valve, when the predeterniined rate (if-speed is reached bylhctrain, so as to.

admit air to pneumatic valvc-mecliapism de signed to turn air intoimeumatic mechanism to cause a disconnecting of the throttle operatinglever, and simultanemisly close the throttle-\mlve' and set the brakesoi the train.

The features of my invention'are hereinafter i'ullyset forth and pointedout. and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows, viz:

Figure l, is a. view partially in section, showing a diagrammaticarrangement of a portion of mechanism and apparatus for carrying out theobjects of my invention.

Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic view of a portion of apparatus suitable forcarrying out the objects of my invention, showing an arrangement of tripmeclnmism, and'g overnor (lri v inc; mechanism.

Fig. 3, is a transverse section of tl e' thia'ittlc lever unlatchingmechanism on the l ne 6U, in Fig. 1, looking in the direction otthearrow.

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section of a fragment of the same.

Fig. 5, is aview in elevation oi a portion novernor-operated mechanismoi my sis.

is a transverse section of a portion of my apparatus on the line i inFig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow,

Fig. 7, is a transverse section of the throttle lever unlatchingmechanism, showing an alternative construction of the latch mechanism.

Fig. 8, is a side elevation of a fragment of the same. i

Fig. 9, is a rear end view in elevation of a Patented Apr, Mi, raw,

car truck and portion of rail way traclc showing an arrangement of tripmechanism.

Fig-l0, is a plan view of a fragment of rail-way track showingan'arrangement of trip mechanism, according to my invention.

In these drawings A, indicates a throttle valve-stein, and A, a portionof locomotive boiler. The valvestem A, is provided with a notcl'i a,(see Fig. -l, and shown in broken lines in Fig. 1). Slidably mountedupon the valve-stem A, there is a latchblock A which is connected withthe throt tle-operating lever, A by means of a link a. The latch-block Ais provided with a transverse slot a in which is placed a verticallymovable latch-liar (1 which is secured to the arms a of a weight a, bymeans of which the latch-bar a is normally retained in the transversenotch 09, in the valve-stein A, so that the same may be operated by thethrottle lever A in the usual manner.

- Upon the boiler A, I secure a yoke B, which supports a cylinder B,concentric with the valvestem A, and into which said valve-stem willextend when the throttlevalve is opened. In this cylinder there is a.piston B which will operate against the end of the valve-stem A, underconditions hereinafter pointed out. To one of, the arms of the yoke B,there is another cylinder B in which there is a piston. B", and which issecured on a 'giiistonarod which extends through the yoke B, and has onits end a plate B, of a length coextensive with the maximum travel oithe valve-stem A, in the opening and closing; of the throttle-valve ofthe locomotive. Fromth'e cylinder B to the cylinder B, an air duct 1.,extends, the tor ward movement of the piston B opening the intake end ofsaid air duct 1. The cylinder B 1s provided with a vent opening 2),

with which the duct 1, communicates when thepiston B is in itslower-most position. I also provide a transverse o 'icnmg Z),

through the neck of the cylinder B, and a,

transversc oi'iening 5 through the pistonrod B, which, when the piston Bmoves to a cylinder C, in which there is a piston C,

having a transverse opening therethrough, which coincides with theopening 0, communicating with said air-duct 5, and a vent opening a, inthe wall of said cylinder, when said piston C, is in its normal positionas shown in Fig. 1; the piston G, is provided with a reduced end C whichopcrates in a reduced portion of the cylinder 2 municates with the Fromthe large end of the cylinder an air duct 6, through the air-duct 2,communicates with the air-pipe of the train beyond the engineers valve,and from the'smaller end of the cylinder C, an air duct 7, comsource ofair supply through the main air duct 89.

Communicating with the air duct 7, is a. cylinder D, in which there is'apiston D. The cylinder D,-has an enlarged longitudinal extension D inwhich there is a piston D which is connected with the piston D, by a.rod (Z. The piston D has a transverse opening (Z, therethrough whichcommunicates with openings (Z and (Z in the wall of said cylinder. Thispiston D also has a recess (1, of sufficient length to span the opening(Z andthe opening (1 in the wall of the cylinder D simultaneously whensaid piston D is in the position thereof shown by broken lines inFig. 1. From the opening (1", in the cylinder D a ductlO. communicateswith the cylinder B and the main air ducts 89. from supply (not shown)to the engineers valve 4, through the openings (Z and (Z and thetransverse opening (Z, in" the piston. From 7 the large end-of thecylinder D an air-duct 11, leads to a cylinder E, and communicatestherewith through an opening (2; another airI-duct 12, also communicateswith said cylinder E, through an opening e, in the wall thereof and withthe main air-pipe 8, from the source of air supply. Within the cylinderE, there is a piston E. having a transverseopeningc therethrough. Thispiston E. also has a portion thereof cut away so as to form an offset 6at one end thereof. which. when the piston E. isin its normal positionas shown in Fig. 1. will havethe opening 6. in the wall of the cylinderuncovered. and when the piston E. is

in the position thereof shown in broken lines. the air duct 11 and 12.will communicate through the transverse opening 0 The piston E. isprovided with an operating rod E The cylinders C and D are each pi')\'ided with vent openings and (1, and the piston 13", is provided witha spring 6 latch-bar a the source of air I to force a return of saidpiston .to its normal position. The operation of'the mechanismhereinbefore described is as follows, viz The piston valve E", is movedto the position thereof shown by broken lines in Fig. l, which admitsair from the main air through the air ducts 11 and. 12, into thecylinder D which, owing to the 1111' e area of the piston D as comparedwith t e piston D, the piston D forces the piston D, backward againstthe air in the air-duct 7, and communication between the air ducts 8and. 9, is closed, and communication between air ducts 8 and 10, isopened so that air from the main air duct 8, will pass through duct 10,into cylinder B and force piston B", therein upward and thereby throughthe slide on the valve-stem A, without moving 1 the same. Simultaneouslywith lifting the 1, andf'a-ir flows therethrough into cylinder B, andforcespiston B forward against the end of the valve-stem A, and movesthe same toclose the throttle valve. The upward movement of the pistonB, and piston-rod B also simultaneously brings the the piston. Buncovers the opening. from the cylinder B into air'duct transverseopening 12 therethroiigh into 00- incidence with the opening I), whichpermits air from the train pipe 3, to exhaust.

out through air duct 5, until the pressure in the train pipe is reducedsufliciently to allow'air in the duct 7, acting on the small 1 piston toovercome the piston C, and move said piston C, hackward so as to closethe passage through said piston and stop the escape of air from thepressure on the large opening 0, in cylinder C. The apparatus will thencontinue in this condition until the piston E, in the cylinder E. isreturned to the position thereof shown by full lines in Fig. l. whichcuts off the supply of air to the cylinder D and opens the duct 11, toexhaust through the opened end of the cylinder E. when the air in duct7, acting on the small piston D, forces piston D back into the positionthereof shown in full lines in Fig. 1. again letting air from the mainduct 8. in the duct 5). and cutting the same off from duct 10. andcylinders B". and B,

allowing the spring 7r. to force piston 13',

back to its normal position as shown by full lines in Fig. 1.simultaneously allowing air in cylinders B B. and D to exhaust throughthe vent openings and d.

forcing the smaller piston C backward against the 9.11 in duct 7. Theengineer can now move,theletch-hlock A along on the waive-seem A, untilthe lctchher (i again drops into the notch a, when the valveetem can heagain operated as usual. The piston. B not being secured to thel'LlVB-Silflfl A, after being moved backward into the posh tion thereolshown by full lines in Fig. i, does not n'love therefrom when thevalvestem A, is manually operated.

The cylinder E, is mounted upon a tlrznne orinclosed case E. throughwhich its operating stem or handle E extends, and which is provided onits extremity with e loop or knob E. For automatically forcing thepiston. E, forward, or spring; 6, is provided. The stem E is providedwith c notch c,- which is enter-ed by a dog h, which dog; is

retained in engagement with said notch c, h rneens of spring pressed rodi to which- 2; trip wire if: is secured. l-Fivol'ed in the 'rrarine Ethere is a spring actuated hitchdog, G, which, under certain conditionsr hereinafter described, wheirreleaeedhy the spring pressed hook G,adapted lo engage :1 notch c, in the stem 11?, of the valve E, when thesame has been released I loy the dog F, and prevent a. manual return Theof theseine to its normal position. hook G, is mounted upon a,hell-crank lever G Secured upon the spring 1' ed her 5?, there is ashoulder f, end-curveddng from one arm of the lever'G, to the shoulderf, there is u, post or link G, liming an offset 7, at its lower end. Foroperating the hell-crank lever G I mount in the case E", an oscillatingframe H, (see F 5 and G} in. which there is inouuied a rocl shail't iii,upon which are zuljuetahly secured spring-pressed fingers IL, 7%, and72, 1 also secureupon said rocloshaift ll", urine h". For causing thefirmnell, to oecil ate, 1 pro vide a governor mechanism 3, f

vertically movable stein J", :xtends' uoweirdly. Pirotcd in the case ll", there u lllfillrfil'lli'lk lever J one armor which gauges the stem 3the other arm of said lcver being connected with the irznnell, by meansof a linlc .l. livoted to the upper end of the stem J", is a poet K,which, when extend upwardly to the lojichdog' (i, so

as "to prevent any morei'nent of the same,

mm which i renl; lever ll,

M, when the same has been released by forword movement or thevalve-stein E and the stud m, thereon, so as not to change the positionof the hell-crank lever L, and the guide arm L, and post K, until thevzilveetem E has been moved back to its normal position. magneticI'llQCl'ilillSXll for operating one oi the fingers lb,consistiogpreferably of a. solenoid N, the core of which connected with one ofsaid fingers. On the huh of the ironic H, I provide a circuitinterrupter n, with which brushes or, contact, which brushes are incircuit with said electromagnetic device. i also place in said circuita, circuit the electromagnetic device has caused the dog F, to releasethe valve-stein E breaks said circuit so that said dog will he re leasedto again engage the notch 6 in said velvestein when it returns to itsnormal position. From the lingers. FL, and ii, trip wires lfsl and ll",extend to trip mechanism hereinafter described.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I illustrate another form of throttle lever latch.mechanism, in which the latch (l, is pivoted upon the latch block A,above the valvesteni, and is operas-ted by meansolf a spring-pressed bar9, slid-iv hly mounted in ears on the side of said hitch hlock A, andengages a slotted lever O, on said latch. O, the lower end oftheslide-ha r C contacting with the piston operated plate,

B, by which it may be operated to move said latch U, out of the notch'c,1n the velvestem A.

The governor n'icchanisln J, .is operated by means of u driving-belt l',which 13 passed uround a pulley P, operatively connccled w'h soulgovernor mechanism and a.

1 h f pulley i 1,. on one ol the locomotive wheel axles l sothatYEU'ltltlOllS U1 speed ol rotation oi said axle Will be con'rn'uncoatedtosuld governor meclmnisn'l.

livoted upon suitable supports on the lo= coniiotivc truck mechanism Q;are bell-crank levers ll, and 1%, to one arm of each of n whichlever-3;, the trip wires F ll and. ll, are secured, and between thetruck-rails S, are secured ,trips 'l, T, and T {see Figs. 4) and lOlthctrips T, and l", lacing secured in such position that they will engageand actuate, the lovers R", and it, and l he trip T, being provided withshifting; Incch snould the hook ll, release said latch-(log he movedinto oosition to en 'a e the lever p 7* i lu r-y the 'rraine it", there38 iother spring pressed valve-stem E and the valve 1E, their moves l l,have provided electrobreaker n which, when the operation of Ill .5

forward into the position thereof shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, whenthe power will be shut off, and the train brakes set ashere- 'its normalposition where it will the valve E,

inbefore described, but the engineer can im mediately draw thevalve-stein E back to be again held by the dog F, and he can againoperate the throttle valve-stem A, by means of his lever A the trainbrakes being released by the return of the valveletem E to its normalposition.

Trips T, and-T, operate the levers R and R to pull the trip-wires H or Hto cause the fingers h, and h, to tip downward, when one or both of saidfingers will engage offset r on the bar-G and force it downward, thuscausing thedog F, to release the valvestem E, so that the spring ct, mayforce forward, and willsimultaneously. cause the hook G, to release thelatch- G, which will lock the valve-stem E in its forward position asshown by broken lines in Fig. 1, and the arm IE, will be raised so as tolift the tooth-bar L upward so that the hooked lever M, will engage oneof the teeth and retain the bell-crank lever L, in the lifted positionso as to support the post K, in

. proper position imder the latch G. to operate said latch G, todisengage said latch from the notch c, in the valve-stem 15?, when theslowing down of the governor mechanism causes said post K, to moveupward against said latch G. The latch G, is provided with steps 9, g",and G to correspond with the fingers it, h, and if, both of whichrepresent different rates of speed. which; when exceeded will, by thecooperation of the governor mechanism J, and trips T. and T, and

the electromagnetic mechanism N. cause the mechanism hereinbeforedescribed, to reduce the rate of speed to the required point. be forethe valve-stem E will be released by the action ofthe governor J,through the post K, and latch G, so that the engineer can draw thevalve-stem E back to its normal position. Accordingly, when the frame H,is oscillated by the governor mechanism J, when the train exceeds a rateof speed of,

say, twenty-five (25') miles an hour, the

finger It, will be over the off-set g, on the bar (3, and the upper endof the post K,

Jwill be withdrawn sufficiently from the step (7, on the latch G, topermit the latch, when released, to engage the notch e", in thevalvestem E the lever It", strikes the trip T, and

thereby pulls down the finger h which en gages the off-set g, on the barG operates the dog F, to release the valve-stem E and operate the hookG, to release the-latch G,

to lock said walve-stem in said forward posi- Y tion, the hooked leverM, meanwhile having engaged the toothed-bar L thereby holding the upperend of the post K, in position under the relative step on the latch G,so that when the slowing down of the train and ing the same ters-Pate-ntis: i I

1. In an apparatus of the character dc governor J, raises the post K,upward and G, when the valve-stem E is again free for the manualoperation of the engineer.

The trip T, is for the purpose of perform-.

operation as above described, when the'train exceeds a speed of, say,forty (40) miles an hour, the governor mechanism J, oscillating thefingers 'h, h, and 7: far enough for the finger h, to be over the offset9, when the operation of the lever R, by the trip T, lease thevalve-stemE the governor mechanism 'J, drawing the post K, far enough downward forits end to engage the step 9 on the latch G, when the lever L. isoperated by the arm k to push said post under said step and when a rateof speed of, say, fifty (50) miles an,hour'is reached, the governormechanism will turn the frame H, far enough thatthe finger 7L will be.

over the'otfset f]. and the circuit interrupter. n, will close thecircuit through the electromagnetic device N, which will then, throughlever U, pull down the finger 71. and the mechanism will operate to slowdownand stop the train as hercinbefore described.

I The rates of speed herein mentioned, it will be understood, are onlymentioned as examples. as the governor mechanism J, and fingers it, h,and if, can be regulated for any speed required. the operation of themechanism remaining the same. It will also be understood that the numberof-rates of speed may be increased or diminished as desired. by addingfingers and trips.

I W'hen-a low rate of speed is required, as ata down grade, or at acurve. or bridge, a trip for 'the required speed-can he placed in thetrack, and when thetrain passes the trip its'speed will be reducedautomatically to the required rate, before the engineer can move thevalve-stem E hack to its normal position, to reverse the action of themechanism hereinbefore described. so that he can again open the throttleof his engine.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of myinvention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letscribcd,a-throttle-valve-stem, a, latch-block slidably mounted thereon. anoperating lever .operatively connected therewith, cylinder and pistonmechanism adapted to move said valve-stcm to close said throttle-valve;c vlinder and piston mechanism adapted to .re-

leasesaid latch-block from engagement with said valve-stem, an air-ductfrom the last mentioned cylinder to the first mentioned cylinder havingthe entrance thereinto from the last mentioned cylinder so located as tobe uncovered by the piston therein, and

will, as above described, re-

scribed, a throttle valve-stem having a trans.

verse notch therein, a latch-block slidably mounted on. said valve-stemwith which the throttle operating, lever is connected, a latch on saidblock. so as to prevent said block from. sliding on said valve-stem, acylinder,-

a piston therein adapted to operate against the end of said valve-stem,a cylinder secured transversely to said valve-stem, an air duct leadingfrom the last mentioned cylinder to the valve-stem operating cylinder, apiston and piston-rod in said transverse cylinder, a plate parallel withsaid throttlevalve-stem secured on the end. of said piston rod andadapted to raise said. latch out of said notch when its connected pistonis operated, said last mentioned piston being adapted to act as a valveto open communication from its cylinder into said air duct, and valvemechanism, to admit air into said last mentioned cylinder, substantiallyas set forth.

in an apparatus of the character de scribed, a valvestem having a notchtherein,

latch-block slidably mounted thereon and connected with the throttleoperating lever, a, yolre having the arms thereof parallel With saidvalvestem, cylinder supported by said yoke, concentric with saidvalve-stem, a piston in said cylinder, a latch pivoted in saidlatch-block above said valve-stem, an arm on said latch, a springpressed rod en gaging said arm and slidablv mounted on the side of saidlatch-block, a cylinder secured to one arm of said yoke, and having anopening in the Wall thereof, a piston in said cylinder adapted touncover said opening on its upward movement, a piston rod securedthereto and extending upward through said yoke arm, a plate on the upperend of said piston-rod-adapted to engage said spring-pressed rod andraise the same to operate said latch, an air duct leading from saidopening in the wall of said cylinder to the cylinder concentric withsaid valve-stem, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a throttle-valve-stem, aslidable block thereon, latch mechanism for securing said blockncnslidably on said valvestem a throttle ope ating lever connected withsaid latch mechanism, piston mechanism to operate said latch mechanisman air duct communicating With the main train pipe, valve mechanismcontrolling the air passage in said duct operatable by said pistonmechanism, piston mechanism adapted to operate said throttle-valve-stcm,an air admit air to said piston, substantially as described.

5. ln'an apparatus of the character de scribed, piston mechanisms fordisconnecting the engineers throttle operating lever, closing thethrottle-valve and reducing the pressure in the train pipe,pneumatically actuated valvemechanism ior admitting air to said pistonmechanisms, and. valve mocha nism for controlling admission and exhaustof air to and from said pneumatically actuated valve mechanism,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i 6. ln an apparatus of the character set forth, piston mechanisms fordisconnecting the engineers throttle operating lever, closing thethrottlevalve and reducing the pressure in the train pipe, valvemechanism for controlling admission and exhaust of air to and from saidpiston mechanisms, a spring toactuate saidvalve in one direction, avalve-stem for operating said valve in the opposite direction, a springpressed dog tomaintain said valve open to exhaust, a trip lever,flexible connection between said dog and said trip lever, and a tripadjacent the rail-road rails-to actuate said trip lever, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a valve adapted tocontrol the admission and exhaust of'a-ir a spring to operate said valvein one direction, a stem to operate said valve in the oppositedirection, spring actuated dog mechanism to prevent the operation ofspring, spring' actuated latch mechanism adapted to engage said stemwhen released by said spring-pressed dog, and prevent. manual operationof said stem, a hooked lever to engage said latch mechanism, andmaintain it normally out of engagement with said stem, a bellcrank leverto operate said hooked'lever, a bar pivoted to one arm of saidhell-crank lever'having an olfseti shoulder thereon and adapted toengage and operate the operating mechanism of said spring-pressed dog,tilting, laterally movable fingersadapted to engage said oil-setshoulder, trip-levers,

trips adjacent to the rail-road tracks'adapted to engage and move saidtrip-levers, connections between said trip-levers and said laterallymovable tilting fingers, governor mechanism, mechanism operated therebyadapted to give lateral 'movement to said fingers, and a verticallymovablepost controlled by said governor so as to control theoperation'ot said latch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth,8. in an apparatus at the character described, a valve to controltheadmission and exhaust of air, a spring to operate said valve in onedirection, a stem to operate said valve, i

, duct forming communications between said in the o osite direction 5rin ressed do h u u r a .3 piston mechanism and valve mechanism to stemand maintain said spring in a 00111- pressed condition, a springactuated latch adapted when released, to engage said valvestem and lockthe same to manual opera- 5 tion, lever and hook mechanism adapted to inormally retain said latch out of engage -ment with said valve-stem, abar pivoted to said lever and hook mechanism and engaging saidspring-pressed dog mechanism 10 and having an offset shoulder thereon,laterally movable tilting fingers adapted to bemoved laterall over saidshoulder, rearwai-dly extending arms on said lingers, a governormechanism. mechanism actuated 5 by said governor mechanism to givelateral movement to said tilting fingers, a circuit interrupter operatedby said governor mechanism, brushes in contact therewith, an electro-magnetic mechanism adaptedby means 30 of mechanical. connections tocause one 'of end of said post, lever mechanism for on trolling saidswinging guide adapted to be operated by said rearward.Iextensions onsaid fingers, and means controlled bf said valve-stem for retaining saidswinging guide in its abnormal position, substantially,

as and for the purpose set forth. In testimony whereof I afliX my inpresence of two witnesses.

' w CLAYTON A. BROOKS.

lVitnesses Jos. A. McCoRMAcK, H. M. STURGEON.

signature,

